Chapter 7 - The Trial of the MonstersSix months later, the high-profile trial of State of Illinois v. Derek Vance, Beatrice Vance, and Chloe Montgomery commenced at the Cook County Criminal Courts Building.
The courtroom was packed to absolute capacity with reporters, legal observers, and members of the public who had followed the case from the beginning.
Derek, Beatrice, and Chloe sat at the defense table dressed in matching orange prison jumpsuits. Over the past seven months behind bars, Derek’s arrogant demeanor had completely vanished—he looked broken, his hands shaking constantly as he stared at the wooden table. Beatrice sat rigid, her face lined with stress, while Chloe wept quietly into her cuffed hands.
When I was called to the witness stand, the entire courtroom descended into absolute silence.
I walked down the center aisle wearing an elegant cream-colored suit, holding myself with unshakeable dignity. I carried no anger in my posture—only the calm, formidable authority of a mother who had fought through hell to protect her child.
The lead prosecutor walked me through every detail of those terrifying nights in the garage.
“Mrs. Sterling,” the prosecutor asked, pointing to a large screen displaying medical photographs of the severe burns on my abdomen. “Can you identify the man who inflicted these injuries on you while you were pregnant?”
I raised my hand, pointing my finger directly at Derek Vance.
“My husband, Derek Vance,” I testified clearly, my voice echoing off the high ceilings. “He pressed glowing cigarette butts and heated metal against my body while his mother, Beatrice, encouraged him to make sure the baby did not survive.”
“And why did they do this?” the prosecutor pressed.
“To steal twelve million dollars from my late father’s trust estate,” I answered firmly. “So Derek could start a new life with Chloe Montgomery.”
Across the courtroom, several jurors gasped openly. One female juror wiped tears from her eyes.
When the defense attorney attempted a weak cross-examination, trying to suggest I had exaggerated the events due to marital distress, Victoria Sterling presented Mrs. Gable’s original video footage on a 75-inch 4K monitor in the center of the courtroom.
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The horrifying audio filled the chamber—Beatrice’s cold voice, Derek’s cruel laughter, and my desperate pleas for my child’s life.
The defense attorney sat down, completely defeated.
